Jack Draper returned to tennis for the first time in six months during Great Britain’s Davis Cup tie with Norway.
The British number one needed just 58 minutes to defeat Viktor Durasovic in straight sets to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead in the qualifying tie.
Draper will play Nicolai Budkov Kjaer next as he continues his recovery from an arm injury which derailed his 2025 season.
Cameron Norrie, Draper’s Great Britain teammate, has praised the star for his excellent comeback match in Norway.
Cameron Norrie delighted with Jack Draper’s return to tennis
Norrie followed Draper by defeating Kjaer in straight sets to put Great Britain in the ascendancy in the Davis Cup.
After the match, Norrie explained how he gained confidence from watching Draper’s first match for six months.
“It was an amazing start for Jack, it’s not easy to come back from injury and play a match where he is the big favourite. He was really calm, played really well and enjoyed it,” said Norrie during his on-court interview.
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“That gave me a lot of confidence to come out and play free. It’s a pleasure to be here in Norway, never been here before. It’s nice to see they love their tennis here and got to see a young rising star like Nico [Budkov Kjaer].
“He’s really talented player, We practise a lot in Monaco and I wanted to make it a physical match and I was able to do that in the first set. It accumulated well and I was able to tap that small advantage in the second set.”
Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash will now play Viktor Durasovic and Lukas Hellum Lilleenge for a chance to secure the victory for Great Britain.
What Jack Draper said after his Davis Cup victory
Draper’s time away from tennis was lengthy and he suffered many false returns before his Davis Cup appearance.
The star pulled out of appearances at the UTS Grand Finals, the United Cup, and the Australian Open before finally returning at the Davis Cup.
Draper was typically delighted to notch up a straightforward victory in his first match back in Norway.
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“It’s really good to play here in Oslo, to have my first match in a long time, to get a first point on the board for Great Britain,” he said on court after the match.
“I haven’t played Davis Cup in a long time so it’s good to be here and proud of my performance today. Hard work, perseverance, it’s been a really difficult time since I’ve been away from the sport.
“I knew I had to keep on practising my hardest and learn about myself. That’s the hard work no-one sees. When I come back, hopefully I am able to play some top tennis again.”
Draper’s next tournament is set to be the Rotterdam Open, his first taste of ATP Tour action since the US Open.
